Si Stebbins
CARD TRICKS
and the way they
are
PERFORMED
Enter
(This little panflet of Card Tricks containing the famous Si Stebbins
card stack or system was sold by Mr. Stebbins to the general public
for one dollar presumably after first demonstrating some ot the tricks
that can be done using the system.)
CIGAM FTP 2002
PDF version by TARKO The GREAT
Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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Table of Contents
The System
Rules
Trick 1:
To name a card that a person may draw
from behind the back.
Trick 2:
To tell how many and what cards a
person may draw from behind the back.
Trick 3:
To let a person think of a card that they
see as you run them over; and then to
make that person place the card they are
thinking of in their pocket without
knowing it.
Trick 4:
To run the cards over behind the back
and name any card you may be asked to
stop on.
Trick 5:
To tell how far from the top any card is
that may be called for.
A Mind Reading Trick
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Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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THE SYSTEM
In stacking the cards lay the 6 of hearts down face up, the 9 of
spades on top of the 6 of hearts and so on to the end, reading
across.
Hearts Spades Diamonds Clubs
6 9 Queen 2
5 8 Jack Ace
4 7 10 King
3 6 9 Queen
2 5 8 Jack
Ace 4 7 10
King 3 B 9
Queen 2 5 8
Jack Ace 4 ?
10 King 3 6
9 Queen 2 5
8 Jack Ace 4
7 10 King 3
After having stacked the cards according to the above system,
the novice should next become con, versant with the rules on
the following page.
NOTE: The joker does not enter into
this system.
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Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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RULES
RULE 1--"Shuffling"
In shuffling never riff or mix cards in. A person may take as
many as they like from one side and place them on the other.
As long as you do not take cards from the center of the pack,
but keep shifting cards from one side to the other, it will not
affect the system.
This is what is called a false shuffle and with a very little
practice a person is able to fool the best of them.
RULE 2 "Numerical Value"
Every card has a numerical value, viz.: Ace, 1; then
2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10 in their order; Jack, 11; Queen, 12; and
King, 13.
RULE 3--"Position"
Every card is three numbers apart, as will be seen by a careful
study of the system, viz.: 6-9Queen, (12) 2-5-8 Jack, (11), etc.
RULE 4--"Position as to Suits"
Every card of the same denomination is thir, teen cards apart
and runs in the same order of suits as in the system, viz.:
Hearts, Spades, Dia. monds, Clubs.
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Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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TRICK 1
To name a card that a person may draw from behind the
back.
Spread the cards out behind the back in such a manner that
when the card is drawn you can separate the deck at the point
bringing the two parts in front of you and placing the upper
half underneath.
In that way you know that the card the person has drawn
should be the one following the bottom card, so that by
glancing at the bottom card, adding three to it, and calling the
suit that fop lows the bottom card, you will name the card
drawn.
EXAMPLE--A person draws a card and on making the shift
in front, you find that the bottom card is the nine of diamonds.
You then add three to nine, which is twelve or the Queen
(Rule 3), and call it the Queen of Clubs, as Clubs follow
Diamonds, and you will have named the card drawn.
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Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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TRICK 2
To tell how many and what cards a person may draw from
behind the back.
Place cards behind you as in trick one, and make same shift as
in trick one. Look at bottom card and at the card of the same
suit on or nearest the top.
Subtract the number of thc suit card on or rearest the top from
that of the same suit as the bottom card, multiply the result by
four and subtract the number of cards, including the suit card
on top, and the result will be the number of cards drawn.
EXAMPLE--On making the shift you find the bottom card to
be the 12 or Queen of Clubs; on looking at the top you find
the third card to be the 7 of Clubs, which makes the problem
as follows: 7 from 12 is 5, 4 times 5 is 20; 3 from 20 is 17, or
the number of cards drawn.
In case the card on the bottom is smaller than the one at the
top of the same suit, add 13 to the bottom card and proceed as
per example.
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Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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TRICK 3
To let a person think of a card that they see as you run them
over; and then to make that person place the card they are
thinking of in their pocket without knowing it.
Hold the deck squarely in the palm of the left hand in such a
manner that you can bend the cards toward you with the
fingers of the right hand, then let them slip back easily one at
a time, but very fast, being careful to stop or hesitate on one
card longer than the rest; in that way you impress that One
card on the person's mind, and it becomes the card they are
thinking of.
And, of course, by watching closely you know the card even
better than the person with whom you are doing the trick.
Next get the card that they have seen to a position fourth from
the top.
You then place cards in left hand again with their face toward
the person with whom you are doing the trick, and with the
thumb of your right hand you lightly slip up the top card so
the person can see its face, and ask if that is their card, to
which they, of course, answer "No." You then draw the card
off the deck (backward) and showing it to them for the second
time ask them if they are sure it is not their card, and at the
same time ask them to place it in their pocket. Repeat the
same operation with the next card, showing the person this
card twice also.
By the time they have placed the second card in their pocket
they will have about made up their mind that they have you
stuck, which impression it is well to give them also in your
talk, such as half admitting that you may have made a
mistake.
But after you have shown him the third card, instead of
handing him that one, let the thumb drop on the next card
underneath (which you know is his card), and as you draw the
card back that you have just shown him, you draw out and
hand him the card he is thinking of--this time without
showing it to him the second time and which he will
invariably put in his pocket without looking at it.
After he has the card in his pocket you can carry him along as
far as you like.
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Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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TRICK 4
To run the cards over behind the back and name any card
you may be asked to stop on.
Place cards behind the back, first taking notice what the
bottom card is.
Then start with top card, add three to bottom card, call by the
suit that follows, and in that way as you run through the deck
you-naturally know what card you are asked to stop on, as
you are naming them to yourself as you go along.
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Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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TRICK 5
To tell how far from the top any card is that may be called
for.
A person calls for a card first find the card of the same suit
that is nearest the bottom, sub, tract the number of the card
called for from the number of the card of the same stat nearest
the bottom, multiply the result by four, then sub, tract the
number of cards (if any) below the bot, tom suit card and the
result will be the number the card called for is from the top.
If the suit card on or nearest the bottom is smaller than the
card called for, add 13 and proceed
EXAMPLE--A person calls for the 4 of Diamonds: you look
at bottom and find that the 9 of Diamonds is the third card
from the bottom, subtract 4 from 9, with a result of 5:
multiply 5 by 4 making 20, and subtracting 2, the number of
cards below the 9 of Diamonds, it leaves a result of 18, which
will be the number the 4 of Dia, monds is from the top.
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Si Stebbins Card Tricks
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A MIND READING TRICK
(Apparently)
This is a very interesting trick if well done.
First ask person to shuffle pack; then ask them to think of any
number between l and 15. After they have thought of it tell
them that you will leave the room and that while you are out
they are to take the pack and count down from the top until
they come to the number thought of, which card they are to
look at and remember, but they must place cards back so that
the card will be the number thought of from the top, then they
are to call you in.
As you come back you can get them to admit that unless you
are a mind reader you cannot know the number thought of,
and if you don't know the number thought of you cannot
possibly know the card they looked at. After delivering a
speech to that effect take the pack and say that you will leave
the room once more, and while you are gone you would like
someone to write a number between 15 and 20.
This time while out of the room you take the pack and count
off 16 cards from the top, placing one on top of the other as
they come off so that the first is on the bottom; or, in other
words, reverse the top 16 cards and replace on top of pack;
then return to the room and state that you will start counting
from the number thought of and count to the number that the
other person wrote and produce the card they look at.
Then you ask first what number was writ, ten. If they say 17,
your cards are all right, if 16 you must slip one of the top
cards to the bottom, if 18 you must take one, and if 19 two
from the bot tom and place on top; then ask what number the
party thought of and count from that number to the number
written; turn over the last card and it will always prove to be
the card they looked at in the first place if these instructions
are followed explicitly.
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